Kings Island timeline

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This is a timeline for Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio.

Timeline[]

Pre-opening[]

1969 – Taft Broadcasting Company then purchased 1,600 acres (6.5 sq km) of land in Warren County, Ohio for $3.2 million.

1970 – June 15, construction of Kings Island started.

1971 – Construction of the Eiffel Tower, Royal Fountain and The Racer roller coaster were completed. Rides and attractions had been transported and installed from Coney Island.

1972–1979[]

1972 – Opening – Kings Island opened its gates for the first of several preview events on April 29, and officially opened to the public May 27.

• There were 5 themed areas: International Street, Oktoberfest, Coney Island, Rivertown, and The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera.
• Rides
  • Relocated from Cincinnati's Coney Island: Bavarian Beetle, Dodgem, Cuddle Up, Scrambler, Monster, Rotor, Kings Mill Log Flume, Sky Ride, Tumble Bug, Carousel, Squiddly Diddly, Motor Mouse, Funky Phantom, Autocat, Kikki Kangaroo, Sky Ride, Wheel of Fortune, and Flying Scooters.
  • Others: Les Taxis, Ohio Overland Auto Livery, Shawnee Landing, Kenton's Cove, Der Spinnen Keggers, Enchanted Voyage, Flying Carpet, Gulliver's Rub-A-Dub, Halley’s Comet, Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad, Scooby-Doo, Marathon Turnpike, The Racer, and Winnie Witch's Cauldrons.
• Attractions: International Street Bandstand, Kings Island Theater, Salt Water Circus
• Slogan: "America's Family Entertainment Center", "Come on, get happy"
• The Partridge Family, filmed at the park in the episode "I Left My Heart in Cincinnati"

1973 – April 18, the park announced the completion of a $6 million expansion project.. The Brady Bunch, filmed at the park in the episode "The Cincinnati Kids".

• Rides added: Bayern Kurve, Flying Dutchmen, Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal
• Other attractions opened: Games arcade, a 1/2 mile nature trail, and The International Restaurant

1974 – Karl Wallenda broke a world Skywalk record of 1,600 feet (490 m).

• Themed area added: Lion Country Safari
• Rides added: Lion Country Safari Monorail
• Attractions added: Monkey Island

1975 – October 25, Evel Knievel successfully jumped 14 Greyhound buses. Coney Island is extended.

• Rides added: Shake, Rattle, and Roll, Zodiac.

1976 – Air theatre collapse from winter snow. July 4, the park held a bicentennial celebration and the wedding of Paul Revere from the pop rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders that made Time Magazine. July 24, safari ranger John McCann was mauled by a lion and died.^[1]

• Rides removed: Cuddle Up, Shawnee Landing
• Attraction added: American Heritage Music Hall
• Rides renamed: Flying Scooters » Flying Eagles

1977 – First forward- and backward-looping roller coaster in the country opened. Dick Van Dyke became a spokesperson for the park.

• Themed area renamed: Lion Country Safari » Wild Animal Safari
• Rides added: Screamin' Demon, Boulder Bumpers
• Rides removed: Canoe Ride
• Rides renamed: Lion Country Safari Monorail » Wild Animal Safari monorail
• Attractions added: Fascination game building, International Showplace Theater.

1978 – Construction begins on The Beast. College Football Hall of Fame joined the Kings Island complex. Comedian Jonathan Winters became the spokesperson.

• Attractions added: Ferris Wheel, electronic shooting gallery
• Rides removed: Bavarian Beetle mid-season

1979 – The Beast breaks world records for tallest, fastest and longest wooden roller coaster.

• Rides added: The Beast, Mr. Jinks Jalopies
• Rides removed: Halley's Comet, Sky Ride, Rotor

1980s[]

1980 – Modifications were made to The Beast. The turn out of the first tunnel was re-profiled, the second and third tunnels were combined into one longer one, and the 540-degree helix was enclosed.

• Rides renamed: Scooby Doo » The Beastie
• Attractions added: Beast souvenir shop, wine and cheese shop in place of Sky Ride's Oktoberfest station.

1981 – Wild Animal Habitat joined the Cincinnati Zoo and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine to establish the Cincinnati Wildlife Federation.

• Rides added: The Bat
• Rides removed: Gulliver's Rub-A-Dub
• Slogan: "Take me with you"

1982 – A $2.1 million expansion renovation of Hanna-Barbera Land. Boo-Boo Bugy's, and The Screecher were relocated. One of the trains on The Racer was turned around to travel in the backwards direction. On July 9, Timberwolf amphitheater opened with a performance from Air Supply. Was the first year for Winterfest. May 26, employee Terry Raitt was mauled by a lion. He suffered a punctured trachea and body cuts but survived.^[2]

• Rides added: Hanna-Barbera Carousel, Scooby-Choo, Raw Hide Railway, Viking Fury
• Rides removed: Bayern Kurve
• Attractions added: Timberwolf Amphitheatre, Festhaus, McScrappy's Farm, Jelly Bean Bowl, Shaggys Sticks,Fool House, Puppet Tree

1983 – The Bat was closed due to mechanical problems. The first eland-to-eland embryo transfer in veterinary medicine history resulted in a birth at the park. King's Entertainment Company founded. May 13, John Harter, 17, was killed after falling down the elevator shaft from a restricted area of the Eiffel Tower.^[3]

• Themed area added: Adventure Village
• Themed area renamed: Wild Animal Safari » Wild Animal Habitat
• Ride renamed: Wild Animal Safari Monorail » Wild Animal Habitat Monorail
• Attractions removed: Elephant rides, Walk-through animal exhibit
• Slogan: "Get ready for the thrill of your life"

1984 – The first roller coaster designed for riders to stand opened at the park. Smurfs were introduced to the park.

• Rides added: King Cobra
• Rides renamed: Enchanted Voyage » The Smurfs' Enchanted Voyage
• Rides removed: The Bat, Wheel of Fortune,
• Slogan: "Do it All"

1985 –

• Rides added: White Water Canyon
• Rides removed: Tumble Bug, Dodgem
• Slogan: "Do it All"

1986 – Coney Island was expanded and renamed. Flying Eagles Flying Carpet Slide (Renamed Scrappy's Slide), and Dodgems were relocated within the park.

• Themed areas renamed: Old Coney = Coney Mall
• Rides added: Skylab, Zephyr, Dodgem
• Rides renamed: Flying Carpet Slide » Scrappy's Slide
• Rides removed: Zodiac
• Attraction added: Cinema 180 Theatre
• Slogan: "Do it All"

1987 – The Vortex broke the world record for tallest continuous circuit roller coaster and most inversions. First ice skating show at Festhaus.

• Rides added: Vortex
• Rides removed: Screamin' Demon

1988 – Science Day debuted at the park.

• Rides added: Amazon Falls
• Attractions added: Sea Dream (3D Movie)

1989 – $4.2 million water park addition was added as well as an additional station for Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad. The two-day ticket was introduced.

• Themed area added: WaterWorks
• Water park attractions added: Ultra Twist, Sidewinder, Bonzai Pipeline, Kings Mills Run, The Helix, Splash Island
• Slogan: "We've Got It All"

1990s[]

1990 –

• Rides added: Flight Commander
• Rides removed: Flying Dutchman, Ferris Wheel, Der Spinnen Kegger
• Water park attractions added: Rushing River
• Shows added: It's Magic

1991 – Olympic figure skating medalist Debi Thomas and teen stars from "Beverly Hills 90210" and the "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" made special appearances. On June 9, two men, William Haithcoat, 20, and employee Darrel Robertson, 20, were killed and another, Timothy Binning, was hospitalized from electrocution after entering a shallow pond near the Oktoberfest beer garden. Later the same day, Candy Taylor, 32, fell from Flight Commander and also died.^[4]

• Rides added: Adventure Express
• Rides removed: Winnie Witch's Cauldrons, Smurf's Enchanted Voyage
• Attractions added: Lazer Maze, Hanna-Barbera Shop

1992 – Skylab was temporarily removed and Kings Island put a tribute to the park's first 20 first in its place. July 31, Paramount Communications, Inc. purchased Kings Island and KECO to form Paramount Parks. November 21, the park announced that it would be Winterfest's final year.

• Rides added: Phantom Theater, Scooby Zoom, Flintstone Flyers, Red Baron Biplanes
• Rides renamed: Flintstone Flyboys  » Jetson's Spaceport
• Attractions added: Enchanted Theatre, Anniversary parade
• Slogan: "Let Yourself Go"

1993 – The park becomes "Paramount’s Kings Island". Skylab returns. Animals from Wild Animal Habitat are removed at the end of the season.

• Rides added: Top Gun
• Rides removed: Wild Animal Habitat Monorail
• Attractions renamed: Columbia Palace  » Wings Diner, Busytown Grill » Quickdraw's Cafe, The Germain Bier Gardens » Oktoberfest Gardens, American Heritage Music Hall » The Paramount Theater
• Slogan: "Where the magic of the movies meet the thrills of a lifetime"

1994 –

• Themed area renamed: Wild Animal Habitat » Adventure Village
• Rides added: Days Of Thunder (Simulator)
• Rides removed: Sunshine Turnpike
• Attractions added: Preston T. Tucker's Roadside Cafe, Busytown Grill
• Slogan: "The Only Place Thrills Are Paramount"

1995 – Nickelodeon was introduced to the park.

• Themed area added: Nickelodeon Splat City
• Rides added: Drop Zone (Skycoaster)
• Rides removed: Flight Commander, Scrappy's Slide
• Attractions added: Emergency Green Slime Shower, Nickelodeon Green Slime Zone, Fowl Play (show)
• Slogan: "The Only Place Thrills Are Paramount"

1996 – The world's first Linear Induction Motor (LIM) launch roller coaster opens at the park.

• Rides added: Outer Limits: Flight of Fear, XS Raceway
• Rides renamed: Drop Zone » Xtreme Skyflyer
• Slogan: "The Only Place Thrills Are Paramount"

1997 – The park land was annexed into the city of Mason, Ohio.

• Rides removed: Skylab
• Water park attractions added: all Buccaneer Islands, Wipe-Out Beach, Surfside Bay
• Slogan: "Where the magic of the movies meet the thrills of a lifetime"

1998 – Hanna-Barbara Land got a makeover and new rides.

• Rides added: Scooby's Ghoster Coaster, Atom Ant's Airways, Yogi's Sky Tours
• Rides renamed: Scooby Zoom » Top Cat's Taxi Jam, Flintstone Flyers » Pixi and Dixi's Swing Set, Jabber Jaw Tubs » Boo-Boo's Baggage Claim, Pee-Wee Raceway » Huck's Hot Rods, Red Baron's Bi-Planes » Dick Dastardly Bi-Planes, Rawhide Railway » Babba Louie's Bugy's, Scooby-Choo » Quick Draw Railway, Screecher » Ally Cat 500, Mr. Jinx Jalopies » Fender Bender 500, Jetson's Spaceport » Jetson's Jet Orbiter
• Attraction renamed: Days of Thunder » Paramount Action FX Theater
• Shows added: James Bond 007: A License to Thrill
• Water park attractions added: Wipe-Out Beach
• Slogan: "Where the magic of the movies meet the thrills of a lifetime"

1999 – Worlds tallest gyro-drop at 315 ft opens. Construction started on Son of Beast.

• Themed area renamed: Adventure Village » Paramount's Action Zone
• Rides added: Drop Zone: Stunt Tower, FACE/OFF
• Rides renamed: Amazon Falls » Congo Falls, XS Raceway » Days of Thunder
• Slogan: "Where the magic of the movies meet the thrills of a lifetime"

2000s[]

2000 – World's tallest, fastest, and only looping wooden roller coaster opens. A WaterWorks entrance from the parking lot is added for season pass holders. FearFest, an upcharge Halloween event, debuts at the park for the first time.

• Rides added: Son of Beast
• Rides removed: Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal
• Slogan: "Where the magic of the movies meet the thrills of a lifetime"

2001 – Part of Rivertown and Nickelodeon Splat City are merged to create the Nickelodeon Central kids area. Gold Season Passes are introduced. The world's first junior inverted coaster opens. The first 3D movie plays at the Paramount's Action FX Theater.

• Themed area renamed: Nickelodeon Splat City » Nickelodeon Central
• Rides added: Flight Team Aerial Helicopter Tours, Rugrat's Runaway Reptar
• Ride renamed: Outer Limits: Flight of Fear » Flight of Fear, Kings Mill Log Flume » Wild Thornberry's River Adventure
• Rides removed: King Cobra
• Shows added: Stan Lee's 7th Portal 3D
• Slogan: "Where the magic of the movies meet the thrills of a lifetime"

2002 – World's first enclosed giant top spin ride opens. Construction begins on Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle.

• Rides added: SlingShot, Tomb Raider: The Ride
• Rides removed: Phantom Theater
• Slogan: "Where the magic of the movies meet the thrills of a lifetime"

2003 – World's first Giant Frisbee ride opens. Metal detectors are added at the front gates. Royal Fountain is refurbished. A large American Flag is added to the Eiffel Tower. In September, the park's main marquee sign was destroyed by high winds.

• Rides added: Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle, Delirium
• Rides removed: Flight Team Aerial Helicopter Tours
• Water park attractions renamed: Wipe-Out Beach » Pipeline Paradise
• Water park attractions removed: FasTracks
• Shows added: SpongeBob SquarePants 3-D(Action Theater)
• Attractions renamed: Octoberfest Gardens » Bubba Gump's Shrimp Shack
• Slogan: "Choose your Adventure"

2004 – The water park is overhauled and becomes Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay. The Nickelodeon Parade debuts in July. Kings Island Campground is closed.

• Themed area renamed: WaterWorks » Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay
• Rides removed: Antique Cars, Flying Eagles
• Water park attractions added: Coolangatta Racer, Tasmanian Typhoon, Jackeroo Landing, Kookaburra Bay,
• Water park attractions: All water park attractions were renamed to Australian themed names.
• Shows added: The Magic of the Movies
• Slogan: "Memories That Last a Lifetime"

2005 – Winterfest returns.

• Rides added: Italian Job: Stunt Track
• Rides removed: Boo-Boo's Baggage Claim, Huck's Hotrods, Jetson's Jet Orbiters, Scooby's Ghoster Coaster, Baba Looey's Buggies
• Attractions added: Back Porch Stage, Chick-Fil-A, Graeter's Ice Cream, Starbucks
• Attraction removed: Emergency Green Slime Shower
• Attractions renamed: Preston T. Tucker's Roadside Cafe » Happy Days Diner
• Slogan: "The Best in Hollywood Entertainment, Now Playing"

2006 – Hanna-Barbera Land and Nickelodeon Central are merged into a single area, Nickelodeon Universe. On June 30, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company purchases Paramount Parks from CBS Corporation for $1.25 billion. An incident on Son of Beast sends 27 people to the hospital and is closed. Winterfest is cancelled.

• Themed area renamed: Hanna-Barbera Land / Nickelodeon Central » Nickelodeon Universe
• Rides added: Plankton’s Plunge, Danny Phantom’s Phantom Flyers, Avatar: The Last Airbender
• Rides renamed: All kids rides were renamed with Nickelodeon names.
• Attraction added: Nickelodeon Theater
• Slogan: "The Best in Hollywood Entertainment, Now Playing"

2007 – Paramount is removed from Kings Island's name. Fear Fest is renamed Halloween Haunt. Ice skating show returns. July 4, Son of Beast reopens.

• Themed area added: X-Base (Sub area)
• Themed area renamed: Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay » Boomerang Bay
• Rides added: Firehawk
• Shows added: Endless Summer on Ice
• Slogan: The Fun and Only", "Ride On!"

2008 – Paramount movie ride names are changed. Daredevil Robbie Knievel jumped his motorcycle over 24 Coke Zero trucks in the parking lot to set a new world record. Rick Wallenda sets a new record with a 2,000-foot skywalk from the Eiffel Tower over the Fountains on International Street. The Kings Island Hall of Fame was created. Howl-O-Fest is introduced to the park. Swan Lake was drained to begin construction of Diamondback.

• Rides renamed: Top Gun » Flight Deck, Days of Thunder » Thunder Alley, Drop Zone: Stunt Tower » Drop Tower, FACE/OFF » Invertigo, Italian Job: Stunt Track » Backlot Stunt Coaster, Tomb Raider: The Ride » The Crypt
• Attractions removed: Back Porch Stage
• Attractions renamed: Paramount's Action F/X Theater » Action Theater, Bubba Gump Shrimp Shack » Outer Hanks, Happy Days Diner » Jukebox Diner
• Slogan: The Fun and Only", "Ride On!"

2009 – New amusement park record for the most money raised for a first riders auction. Son of Beast closed permanently.

• Rides added: Diamondback
• Rides Closed: Son of Beast, Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle.
• Slogan: The Fun and Only", "Ride On!"

2010s[]

2010 – PEANUTS characters were introduced to the park.

• Themed area renamed: Nickelodeon Universe » Planet Snoopy
• Rides renamed: All kids rides were renamed with PEANUTS names.
• Shows added: Sign, Sealed, Delivered!, Way Too Much TV, Snoopy Rocks on Ice
• Rides Added: Boo Blasters on Boo Hill
• Slogan: The Fun and Only", "Ride On!"

2011 – Dinosaurs Alive!, the world's largest animatronic dinosaur park, opens. Trick-or-Treat with the Dinosaurs was introduced. New water park expansion and name was announced. Fast Lane was also introduced.

• Rides added: WindSeeker
• Rides removed: The Crypt
• Attractions added: Dinosaurs Alive!
• Shows added: Dinosaurs Alive! 3D (Action Theater)
• Slogan: The Fun and Only", "Ride On!"

2012 – Water park gets a makeover with new attractions and a new entrance. Soak City introduces Howl-o-palooza

• Themed area renamed: Boomerang Bay » Soak City
• Water park attractions added: Sand Volleyball, Tidal Wave Bay
• Water Park Attractions Renamed: Every Attraction in water park
• Shows added: Remember When: The 70's, British Invasion, Ed Alonzo's Psycho Circus Of Magic & Mayhem, Charlie Brown's All-Stars
• Rides removed: Thunder Alley and Son of Beast(torn down)
• Slogan: Thrills Connect

2013 – Dinosaurs Alive! receives the world's largest dino called the Sauroposeidon. Rivertown Junction Dining Hall becomes Red's Hall of Fame Grille.

• Shows added: Rock 'N' Roll Never Forgets, Playlist Live!, Ed Alonzo's Psycho Circus Of Magic & Mayhem 2, Charlie Brown's Jungle Journey
• Shows Removed: Dinosaurs Alive! 3D (Action Theater)
• Attractions Removed: Action Theater

2014 – Kings Island receives the world's longest inverted coaster.

• Rides added: Banshee
• Ride renamed: Flight Deck>>The Bat
• Shows added: The Boyz Are Back!, Cirque Imagine, Flashback Totally 80's, Charlie Brown's Hoedown.
• Rides removed: Snoopy's Splash Dance

2015 – Kings Island receives the largest Starbucks in the Midwest And The Picnic area gets remodeled

• Rides added: Snoopy's Space Buggies, Woodstock Gliders
• Attractions added: Coke Market Plus, Snoopy's Barnyard Friends

2016 - Tropical Plunge added to Soak City.

• Water Park Attractions Added: Tropical Plunge

2017 - Mystic Timbers, a Great Coasters International wooden roller coaster added and Winterfest returns.

• Rides Added: Mystic Timbers
• Attractions Added: Island Smokehouse ^[5]
• Attractions Removed: Dinosaurs Alive!
• Shows added: All Winterfest Shows

2018 -

• Attractions Added: Coney Bar B Que, PEANUTS Showplace
• Rides Removed: Firehawk
• Shows added: The Mistletones
• Slogan: It's amazing in here!

2019 - Kings Mills Antique Autos opens. Another restaurant, Miami River Brewhouse, opens replacing Red's Hall of Fame Grill in Rivertown. Grand Carnival celebration debuts.

• Rides Added: Kings Mills Antique Autos
• Attractions Added: Miami River Brewhouse
• Attractions Removed: Red's Hall of Fame Grill
• Shows added: Spectacle of Color Parade
• Rides Removed: Vortex

2020s[]

2020 – Season delayed to July 2 due to COVID-19. Grand Carnival, Soak City, Halloween Haunt, Great Pumpkin Fest, and Winterfest are cancelled due to COVID-19. Fall Fest, a new festival, debuts in place of the Halloween festivals. A new giga coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard called Orion is added. X-Base is rethemed and becomes Area 72.^[6]

• Rides Added: Orion
• Themed Area Renamed: X-Base » Area 72
• Attractions Removed: Snoopy’s Barnyard Friends
• Attractions Added: Meteor Canteen, French Corner ^[7]

2021 – A new 52-acre (21 ha) campground and resort named Camp Cedar is being added near the park. It will feature 173 cottages and 164 RV spaces.^[8]

• Attractions Added: Camp Cedar Campground
• Shows added: Winterfest Winter Wonderland Parade, Area 72 Launch Party

2022- Kings Island’s 50th Anniversary Season.

Sources[]

• Kings Island Timeline visitkingsisland.com
• Kings Island Timeline kicentral.com
• Kings Island Timeline kiextreme.com
• Kings Island Timeline timelines.home.insightbb.com by Criss Cowen
• Lion Country Safari Spotlight kicentral.com
• KIExtreme.com History Gallery / Park Guides

References[]